Mexico: “Open season” on journalists as third reporter killed in a month

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The killing of the third journalist in a month in Mexico raises new alarms about the state of free expression in the country, said Amnesty International.

Miroslava Breach, a reporter for La Jornada and el Norte de Juarez, was shot dead while she was in her car outside her home in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. Miroslava was known for reporting on issues including organised crime and drug trafficking.

“In Mexico a ‘war’ is raging against journalists. The country has turned into a no-go zone for anyone brave enough to talk about issues including the increasing power of organised crime and the collusion of these groups with the authorities,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

“Journalism should not be a life threatening profession. Instead of looking the other way and ignoring this bloodshed, the Mexican authorities must take concrete measures to protect journalists and anyone daring to talk about the country’s ills. This crime should be urgently investigated and those responsible, brought to justice.”

According to the organization Article 19, more than 103 media workers have been killed in México since 2000, with 11 in 2016 alone. Reporters Without Borders said that in 2016, Mexico was the third deadliest country for journalists in the world, only behind Syria and Afghanistan.

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